Impact of Weight Concern on Post-Cessation Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, and Program Engagement

Abstract

Purpose Weight concern is a barrier to smoking cessation. We examined the impact of weight concern on post-cessation weight gain, abstinence and program engagement. Design Randomized-controlled trial. Setting Telephone-based and group-based intervention sessions. Subjects 305 participants were randomized and analyzed. Intervention Participants were randomized to receive a self-guided intervention, a weight loss intervention, or a weight stability intervention prior to all receiving the same smoking cessation intervention. Measures Level of weight concern on three measures, point-prevalence abstinence, weight change, and session attendance at 12 months. Analysis Continuous and discrete outcomes were compared between weight-concerned and non-weight-concerned participants using two-sample t-tests and chi-square tests respectively. Results There were no significant differences in weight change (range: +1.77, −1.91 kg) when comparing weight-concerned and non-weight-concerned participants. Point-prevalence abstinence ranged from 36% to 64%, with no differences by condition based on level of weight concern. There were no significant differences in session attendance by weight concern (Weight sessions: 50–70%, Smoking cessation sessions: 41–56%, Booster sessions: 28–45%). Weight concern, on all measures, significantly decreased between screening and 2 months (after the weight management intervention), for most of the comparisons made overall and by condition. Conclusion It may not be necessary to screen for weight concerns in smoking cessation and/or post-cessation weight management programs, as the trial interventions were beneficial regardless of weight concern.